Production of ribbon bow



April 27, 1943. D. HINCHER 2,317,609

PRODUCTION OF RIBBON BOW Filed June 25, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

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I I i I April 27, 1943. L. D. HINCHER $317,609

PRODUCTION OF RIBBON BOW Filed June 25, 1941 B Spet-She'et'Z PatentedApr. 27, 1943 UNITED STATES ?ATEh -T OFFIE 6' Claims.

This invention relates to the production of ribbon bows, which is to saya bow composed of several connected ribbons of rayon, satin or otherlike or suitable material. Stated more particularly, the bow to whichthe present invention pertains is of that character heretofore producedby hand and which is most general-1y applied as a decorative touch tothe boxes used as containers for hats, dresses, candy and the like,comprising a severalty of ribbons, usually three, of which each is givena similar bias cut forming a rhomboidal figure. In forming the bow fromthese rhornboidal strips, each is given a longitudinal foldingintermediate the ends to-produce a pleated effect, and the strips arethen compacted together with their pleated parts in sideby-siderelation, whereupon a narrow tie-ribbon. is passed about the contiguouscenters, much in' the manner of the fleur-de-lis. The open floweringeffect is obtained by spreading the petalforming tips or, otherwisestated, pulling the side edges laterally one from the other.

The object of the present invention is to provide a new method of makingsuch a bow, and the equipment for practicing the method, permitting thesaid ribbon bows to be produced with appreciably greater facility, anduniformity, than has been heretofore possible.

The invention consists in the new method and in the novel construction,adaptation and combination of parts of a machine therefor, as will behereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawings:

Figure l is a side elevation, with parts broken away and shown inlongitudinal vertical section on the line li of Fig. 3, representing amachine suitable for producing the bows in accordance with the presentinvention.

Fig. 2 is a similar but fragmentary view indicating the parts in theiroperating as distinguished from the inoperative positions shown in Fig.1.

Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical section on line 3-3 of Fig. 1 exceptingthat one of the ribbon strips is shown in position preparatory to beingfolded by the creasing jaws of the machine.

Fig. 4 is a View likewise showing the ribbon strip and taken to anenlarged scale on line 4-4 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a top plan View showing one of the ribbon strips to a scaleenlarged from that of the preceding views, the strip being illustratedas the same is applied on the forming table preparatory to being creasedby the creasing jaws shown by dotted lines.

Fig. 6 is a top plan view indicating the manner in which the creasedribbons are transfixed successively upon a skewering pin to hold thecreases preliminary to a tying of the bow; and

Fig. 7 is a top plan View of the finished bow.

Having reference to said drawings, the numeral 8 indicates a bed plateon which is mounted a bifurcated forming table H] of which thebifurcation interrupts a relatively flat working surface and operates toreceive the lower of two. complementary jaws H and i2 movable in unisonand in a common vertical plane out of and into juxtaposition onthesubstantial horizontal plane of said working face of the table.Projecting upwardly from the bed plate in spaced relation to the rear ofthe forming table is a forked standard l3 operating as a journal bearingfor a pivot pin M, and fulcrumed about such pin are lever arms [5 and Itfor the jaws. I'I designates a foot-operated treadle connected by rodsl5 and It to the lever arms for closing the jaws in opposition to aspring [3, and 2:! denotes a treadle-stop for limiting the openingmovement of the jaws.

Said jaws, which desirably are removable from the supporting lever arms,have their meeting faces serrated to provide series of transverselydisposed teeth ii and I2 arranged to inter-fit when the jaws are injuxtaposition, and are further characterized in that a channel, as 2|and 22, is carried longitudinally in traversing relation through eachseries of teeth. It is the function of these channels, which lie on themedian line of the jaws and register in the closed positions of thelatter, to form a bore extending the length of the jaws and whichaccommodates the travel of a skewering pin 23 movable with a supportinghasp 24 in a slide bearing formed by a bracket extension 25 of the bedplate. On the outer end of the hasp is a cap piece 24 arranged to beengaged by the palm of the operators hand for advancing the pin throughsaid bore in opposition to a spring 2%. 2'! indicates a stop-collar forlimiting the spring-influenced retractive movement of the pin, and 28indicates a needle screw working in a groove in the hasp to hold the pinagainst rotation.

Describing now the production of the bows, for which I employ,desirably, strips of rayon cut on the bias to the shape of a rhomboid asindicated in Fig. 5 and which I will hereinafter refer to as a ribbonleaf, it will be seen that I apply such leaf to the working surface ofthe table top and between the open jaws of the lever arms such that arectilineal line projected between the extreme tips of the leaf liescentrally of and in approximate paralleling relation to the creasingteeth of the jaws. While not indicated in the drawings guide lines forthis purpose are etched in the table top. With the ribbon leaf sodisposed, the operator closes the jaws through the instrumentality ofthe treadle (Figs. 2 and 4) whereupon the material is creased betweenthe interfitting teeth. This creased leaf is then transfixed by theskewering pin, the treadle released to open the jaws, and the spring 26allowed to assert its power in retracting the skewering pin, with thecreased leaf thereon, from the forming table. The operation is repeatedwith two other ribbon leaves (Fig. 6), following which the operatorcompacts the transfixed centers together and ties the same by passing anarrow ribbon, or other suitable means, over one side edge of the pin,under the ribbon leaves, and upwardly over the opposite side edge of thepin, the two free ends being caught above the assembly. The tied leavesare then slid off of the skewering pin, and the tips spread outwardly asindicated in Fig. 7 to form the petals of the finished bow.

It may be here stated that the teeth of the jaws are in practice given aslight rounding in order thereby to preclude any possibility of cuttingthrough a thread or threads of the ribbon leaf.

Numerous departures from the embodiment illustrated in the drawings willreadily suggest themselves, and in connection therewith it may bepointed out that I have employed gears in lieu of the jaws to performthe creasing function, and have applied cam-operation to the jaws forautomatic functioning of the same as a step preliminary to thedevelopment of an automatic feed for the ribbon leaves. stapling, ratherthan manually tying, the ribbon leaves as the same are transfixed by theskewering pin is an obvious method step in acceleratin the production ofthe bows, and lends itself to a machine for performing automatically themanual steps which I disclose. Having cognizance of these as well asother modifications, ii; is my intention that no limitations be impliedexcepting as the same are necessarily introduced to the following claimsto distinguish the present invention from previous knowledge in the art.

What I claim, is:

l. The method in the production of ribbon bows consisting in formingfolds in complementary ribbon leaves by subjecting first one and thenthe other leaves of the bow to theplaiting action of interfitting teeth;transfixing the plaits with a skewering pin while held between theteeth; bringing the transfixed leaves into close compass on theskewering pin; and tying the plaits of the several leaves together whiletransfixed by the pin.

2. The method in the production of a ribbon bow which consists informing a fold in a ribbon leaf therefor by subjecting the leaf to theplaiting action of interfitting teeth; transfixing the plaits with askewering pin while held between the teeth; compacting the transfixedplaits on the pin and, coincident therewith, passing a tie about theplaits.

3. The method in the production of a ribbon bow which consists increasing a ribbon leaf 1ongitudinally at uniformly spaced intervals, andfolding the leaf upon the crease lines; transfixing the leaf to hold thefolds by passing a skewering pin transversely through the plaits; andtying the plaits in contiguity While transfixed by the pin.

4. As method steps in the production of a ribbon bow, the act ofcreasing complementary ribbon leaves to produce fold lines, folding theleaves on the fold lines; while folded transfixing the leavessuccessively by passing a single skewering pin transversely through thefolds; and fastening the several leaves together with the plaits infolded relation while transfixed by the pin.

5. As method steps in the production of a ribbon bow, folding a ribbonleaf; transfixing the folded leaf by passing a, skewering pintransversely through the folds; and fastening the plaits in their foldedrelation while transfixed by the pin.

6. The method of producing a ribbon bow consistin in folding a ribbonleaf; transfixing the plaits of the leaf with a skewering pin to holdthe plaits; withdrawing the skewering pin with the transfixed leafthereon from the plaiting scene; repeating to multiply the plaitedleaves transfixed by the skewering pin; and compacting the transfixedplaits of the several leaves together upon the pin, and fastening thesame in their compacted relation.

LEE D. HIN CHER.

